Frame for show cards



Jan. 16, 1962 J. J. KOWALSKI 3,016,642

FRAME FOR SHOW CARDS Filed May 5, 1961 INVENTOR. JOSEPH J. KOWALSKI BY f i TTORNEYS 3,016,642 BRAD/E FOR SHOW CARDS Joseph J. Kowalski, Petersburg, Mich, assignor to The Yarder Manufacturing Company, Toledo, Ohio, a corporat'ion of Qhio Filed May 3, 1961, Ser. No. 197,560 3 Claims. (Cl. 40152) 'I 'his invention relates to a frame for show cards or similar signs and is particularly designed to provide for the rapid dis-assembly and re-assembly of the frame in order to permit prepared show cards or signs to be inserted and removed from the frame. The invention will be illustrated in the specification as embodied in a frame for show cards of the type which are carried on the sides of public conveyances such as buses and street cars or other vehicles where standard size advertising cards are mounted for contracted periods of time and replaced from time to time by other cards of the same standard size.

It is the principal object of the instant invention to provide a frame for show cards or signs, constructed preferably from an extruded frame molding and so designed as to provide for the rapid assembly and disassembly of one of its sides to permit the removal and insertion of cards into the frame through the side which has been opened.

This and other more specific objects and advantages will be better understood from the specification which follows and from the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a frame embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, detailed view in perspective with parts broken away of the lower corner of the frame shown in FIG. 1 and illustrating how the lower end of a removable upright is retained in place; and

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but of the upper corner and illustrating how the upper end of the removable frame piece is retained in place.

A frame embodying the invention is generally indi cated at 11} and, in the embodiment shown, consists of two longitudinal, parallel frame members 11 and 12, a stationary end frame member 13 and a removable end frame member 14. All four of the frame members 11, 12, 13 and 1d, are fabricated from lengths of frame molding, in this instance illustrated as an extruded molding having a main back flange 15 (see also FIG. 2), a horizontal cross web 16 and a contoured or decorated front Web 17. The ends of each of the frame members 11-14 are mitered and the joints between the two longitudinal members 11 and 12 and the permanent vertical member 13 are permanently secured as by welding or other technique. The show card or other sign to be mounted in the frame 1% is of such size that its edges fit into the slots formed between the back flanges 15 and front webs 17 of the frame members. The back flanges 15 of the frame members 11, 12 and 13 have suitably located holes 18 for the reception of mounting bolts or screws by which the frame as a whole is attached to the vehicle or other structure upon which it is mounted.

The right hand frame member 14 is designed to be readily removable and replaceable in order to provide for the insertion and removal of the actual show cards upon which the advertising or other message is imprinted. Each of the upper and lower ends 19 and 20 of the side frame 14 (see FIGURES 3 and 2, respectively) is provided with a right angle bracket 21 or 22 each of which has one leg fitting within the recess between the back flange and the front web 17 of the removable frame member 14. Each of the right angle brackets 21 or 22 is retained in its respective end 19 or of the removable frame member 14 by a pair of mounting screws 23. Each of the right angle brackets 21 or 22 has a second arm 24- or 25, respectively, which is insertable between the back flange 15 and front web 17 of the upper longitudinal member 11 or lower longitudinal member 13, respectively.

The arm 25 of the lower right angle bracket 22 mounts a retaining pin 26 (see FIG. 2) which is illustrated as being formed from the tang of a rivet set into the arm 25. The retaining pin 26 cooperates with a hole 27 drilled in the cross web 16 of the bottom frame member 13 so that when the lower end of the removable side member 14 of the frame 10 is placed in position and the arm 25 of its right angle bracket 22 inserted into the slot between the back flange 15 and front web 17 of the lower longitudinal member 13, the pin 26 drops into the hole 27 to hold the side frame 14 in place at its lower end.

The upper right angle bracket 21 and its arm 24 are similarly insertable into and removable from the space between the back flange 15 and front Web 17 of the upper longitudinal frame member 11. The end of the cross web 16 of the upper frame member 11 is slotted with a keyhole slot 28 and a shouldered screw 2? is threaded through the arm 24 of the upper ri ht angle bracket 21. The end of the threaded portion of the screw 29 is illustrated as being peened over in order to hold the screw 29 captive in the right angle bracket 21. The screw 29 has a threaded portion 30 of such diameter that it readily enters the parallel slot Portion of the keyhole slot 28 and the screw 29 has a shouldered portion 31 of a larger diameter only slightly smaller than the diameter of the larger portion of the keyhole slot 28.

When the upper end of the removable frame member 14 is swung inwardly toward the upper longitudinal frame member 11, the arm 24 of the upper right angle bracket 21 enters the space between the back flange 15 and front web 17 of the upper frame member 11. The threaded portion of the screw 29 is inserted into the slot 28 and, when the frame member 14 is swung completely into place, the screw 29 is turned downwardly inserting its shouldered portion 31 into the enlarged portion of the keyhole slot 28 and, upon being tightened in place, removably retains the removable frame member 14 tightly in place.

When it is desired to remove a show card or sign from the frame 1-0, the screw 29 is loosened and turned upwardly until its shouldered portion 31 is removed from the keyhole slot 28 and then the removable frame member 14 is swung, downwardly and to the right in FIG. 1, to disengage its retaining pin 2d from the hole 27 of the lower frame member 13.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. A frame for show cards and the like comprising, in combination, inwardly open frame members forming sides of an open center frame and a removable frame member forming one side thereof, the ends of two of said first frame members and the ends of said removable frame member having cooperating retaining means consisting of a retaining pin mounted at one end of said removable frame member, a cooperating pin-receiving hole in the associated end of one of said two first frame members, a keyhole slot in the end of the other of said two first frame members and a captive, shouldered mernber mounted in the other end of said removable frame member and movable through the narrow part of said keyhole slot, the shouldered portion thereof having a size larger than the narrow portion of said keyhole slot and adapted to seat in the enlarged portion of said keyhole slot.

2. A frame according to claim 1 in which the frame is rectangular and the removable frame member forms the fourth side thereof.

3 3. A frame according to claim 2 in which the retaining References Cited in the file Of his patent pin and captive, shouldered member are carried by right UNITED STATES PATENTS angle brackets mounted on said removable frame mem- 1,880,828 Courtenay Oct 4, 1932 her and extend perpendicularly to the associated ones of 5 2,912,142 Lewis J 6, 1933 said first frame members. 2,934,532 Hallowel et al. Nov. 7, 1933 

